Deal
by Glittery-Icecream
Summary: "Give me a chance, please." She looked back at him, her eyes softened by his tone. "Fine, I'll give you thirty days to win me over. If you do, then I'm yours. If not, then...you won't ask me again. Deal?" "Deal." Thirty days? Oh yeah, he could work with that. - rated T: because I dunno
1. Chapter 1

**I promise I will have at least 10 chapters for this by the time Nightfall comes out. I WILL ACTUALLY DO IT. I was going to do NaNoWriMo but then though nah. I also have to get to a Halloween party after this because my friend is dragging me along with her and it's not even Halloween?**

* * *

It had started off as a good day. One, because finals were over (and he was fairly certain he hadn't flunked them.) And two, he would ask out Sophie- for the millionth time. It had started as a joke, to her at least, but now was more like him begging for a date while she looked on annoyed. Obviously she was getting attracted to his charm and charisma.

Like always she declined. And like usual, he pouted and hoped for pity.

"Fosterrrrrrrrrrrr. Why not?" He could tell she was getting agitated, mostly because she looked ready to wring his neck.

"Because I don't want to." She stepped away from him, her eyes daring him to challenge her answer. He knew there was more to her answer than that.

"Ohhh...you're afraid, huh?"

Her hands went to her hips as she glared at him.

"I'm not _afraid_ of anything." Oh, but she was. He wasn't an Empath for nothing.

He leaned in closer, "You can tell me anything. So what are you afraid of?"

She threw an eyelash to the ground. "Stop it Keefe. This is getting old, you've asked me at least 10 times over the past year, and I've always said no. So what makes you think I'll say yes this time."

He didn't mention that she changed the topic on purpose. Or that it was technically 11 times that'd he'd asked her out.

"I don't know! What do you want me to say? Are there some word that'll make you instantly swoon? Or do I need to suddenly have teal eyes or something?"

He knew he struck a nerve there.

"Maybe not by harassing me over and over!"

With the loud outburst, half the prodigies in tower the turned to look at the pair. Sophie clamped a hand over her mouth and lowered her voice.

"Instead you could maybe show some commitment. We both know you're a player."

He wanted to tell her, no. That it wasn't true, because it wasn't. If she'd seen his homework she'd know that he'd had points docked off for drawing her in the margins. She'd know if she'd seen him make a crush cuff for her every year but stash it in his closet instead. She'd know if she'd heard his 3am Imparter ramblings to Fitz. She'd know if she gave him a chance.

"I'm not," he frowned, defensive.

"Mmmm, sure. But my answer is still no." She walked away from him, not even looking back.

She was getting desperate to try and convince him, that he did not in fact like (or love) her. But all he needed was to show her that he really did care.

"Give me a chance, please." She looked back at him, her eyes softened by his tone. "Fine, I'll give you thirty days to win me over. If you do, then I'm yours. If not, then...you won't ask me again. Deal?" "Deal." Thirty days? Oh yeah, he could work with that.

He took a step towards her. "Then how about this for the first day?"

She rolled her eyes at him, "How about what?"

He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. "Just so you know that I _can_ be a gentleman." _'And pretend I'm not panicking on the inside,'_ he added silently.

Then he ran off, leaving a flustered Sophie behind. When he took a quick glance back— just as he had suspected—she was staring at her hand with a growing blush.

Now all he had to do was think of something for tomorrow.

It had started off with a good day, and ended up even better.


	2. Chapter 2

**Whoops, now I have to write 8 chapters in 4 days. Sorry, stuff's been happening and I'm so stressed, but look! New chapter! There'll be 30+ chapters in total, one for each day in the deal Sophie made with Keefe. If you would like to suggest something for one of the chapter, that would be great!**

It was a stupid idea. She never should've made that deal with Keefe. She wasn't even sure why she made it in the first place. It wasn't like he'd actually win her over or anything, so why did she feel so nervous?

Keefe had popped into her house to take her somewhere, and she really wanted to sleep in even further than usual now that it was break.

"Where are we going?"

The blond in front of her beamed, "You'll see when we get there."

 ***time skippity skip***

"Ugh-I hate getting to Atlantis this way." She stared down at the water that shunned and foamed below her, it made her queasy by just looking at it.

"That's 'cause you went with Wonderboy. Now it's with the Keefster, " He winked at her teasingly—before unceremoniously shoving her into the whirlpool.

He was so lucky that there was a giant squishy sponge or else she might've considered murdering him. Keefe dropped onto the sponge beside her, giving a sheepish grin.

"Sorry? It was fun though."

"For you!"

He even had the nerve to laugh, "That's okay, you'll forgive me. You always do."

There was moment of silence before Keefe cleared his threat and asked, "So where do you want to go?"

She thought for a while before she answered, "I think I'd like to get a new charm for my bracelet."

"Cool," he held his arms open, "drag me wherever you want."

It had been a while since she'd been to Atlantic- apparently it wasn't safe enough- but she still remembered the way.

The bell opened with a little tinkle. Sophie looked over the little charms that were encased by the glass.

"Which one are you getting?" Keefe asked.

"Not sure yet." She twisted the the bracelet a couple times before letting go.

"Don't you want to get another necklace?" He joked.

She rolled her eyes, "Pretty sure I have enough." Her hand went to her neck smoothing over the cords that held her elixirs and the necklace Keefe had given her.

Her hand dropped when she found a little charm. It was intricately made, with tiny petals of ice blue that twinkled under the fluorescent lights of the shop.

She took it to the shopkeeper who nodded and put it in a bag. Sophie took out her birth fund before Keefe stopped her.

"No it's fine, I'll pay."

"I mean that's a sweet gesture but money is practically infinite."

He sighed, "Too bad. I'm doing it anyway."

They left the shop and Keefe gingerly took the bag, "I'll help you put it on."

She held her hand out so he could clasp the rose charm onto her bracelet.

He raised his eyebrows, "I love the color choice, matches my eyes."

Her face heated and she swatted at him, "I-ugh-th-that's not why I got it."

"Okay then. Where do you want to go next."

She looked around before she realized that she'd hadn't had lunch yet.

"Somewhere to eat?"

He gave her a smile, "Lead the way, Foster."

 ***skip skip skip***

They went to a multitude of different places before Keefe deemed that the day was over. If that was how the next 28 days would be like, she wouldn't mind.

"See, you had a lot fun today didn't you?" She did, a lot actually. But she wasn't going to keep encouraging him.

Instead she shrugged, "Mm, I guess so." But even then she could tell he knew she had enjoyed it. Freaking Empaths.

He smiled, "So... I'll pick you up tomorrow at eight," he held his leaping crystal up to the light and before he glittered away, he shouted, "It's a date, Foster!"

But of course, by the time she tried to shout back a reply, he'd already disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3

**I got really bad news this morning but there's a chance I might be wrong. STRESSSSSSSSSSSS STRESS IS _SO WONDERFUL._ Writing helps take my mind off things so hey another chapter. I suck at all things sport, so guess who had to run a mile yesterday? Not me! XD the only good thing about a sprained ankle is you get to sit out on stuff. So yeah. I think it's about 1000 words, pretty good if I do say so myself considering I wrote this in the span of time it took my mom to get groceries from Costco. I'm completely off topic.**

 **glitterybutt11 : AWW THANK YOU SO MUCH**

 **Waves-Of-Writing : I set my goal too high XD**

 **Cress070: SOKEEFE is a NOTP?! *gasp* Haha, Sophitz is cool too.**

 **TEAM SOPHIE : I aspire to have enough determination as those who do NaNoWriMo XD**

 **Poke-a-Puff : I'm trying to update relatively fast (or faster than usual) :)**

 **SkysTheLimit11 : YAY! I'm glad you liked it**

 **Sophie Foster : Updated! I don't write smut and it certainly wouldn't tie in with the plot of this story. Sorry.**

"Is stargazing cheesy? I think it might be. Do you think Foster would like it? Do you think she likes me? I mean I did the flower petal thing, and it said she does. But that was on the 30th try. Does it still count? I think it does. You're her cognate, does she tell you anything about me? Like how handsome and charming I am and how perfectly done my Hair is? Does she? How about how awesome I am? Did she enjoy going to Atlantis? She said it was okay but her feelings indicated otherwise. So what do you think? And w-"

"OHFORTHELOVEOF- JUST SHUT UP!" Fitz covered his face with his pillow and rolled over, completely ignoring him. Rude much?

"Noooooooo, but I need to know."

"IT'S LIKE THREE IN THE MORNING KEEFE. I SAID YOU COULD SLEEP OVER NOT RAMBLE TO ME ABOUT SOPHIE. I'm trying to sleep here, okay?!"

"Ugh. You don't need sleep is you don't have anything to do the next day. What do you do now anyway? Like what do you do with life after you're done with school."

"Maybe you'd know if you hadn't been held back."

Keefe scoffed, "Excuse me?"

Rolling his eyes (or as Sophie liked to say, " _impossibly teal_ _orbs of purity and goodness that could melt the heart of a serial killer"),_ Fitz said, "That's right. You decided to stay back after the war because you wanted to 'continue your education to the fullest in order to fulfill your role as a prodigy who attended the noble academy of Foxfire.' Or that's what you told the principal." After a moment he added, "Also because you wanted more time with Sophie."

He glared at Fitz, "Shut up. I need to sleep."

In reply he mumbled, "Mmm, now you say that." And promptly fell asleep.

*time skippppp to evening*

"Hey Foster. Are you ready?"

She stood behind the main door of Havenfield, her head of blonde locks peeking out.

"Um...yeah. I-"

"BRING HER BACK BY ELEVEN OR ELS-" Grady's voice boomed out from inside and Edalines voice piped up, "And don't forget to have fun-"

Sophie's face pinked (well parents in general were pretty embarrassing) and she quickly closed the door and stepped out.

"Nice dress," he commented, "You could've just worn your pajamas instead but-" he shrugged,"- whatever suits you."

She looked down at her layered skirt, with a jewel encrusted bodice. The dress would've revealed more than she would've liked if not for her cape. He also didn't overlook the fact that she was wearing the bracelet with the charm he had bought her.

"First of all, you said it was a date. Second of all, Biana and Linh."

He smirked, reaching up to tousle his hair. "Let's go then."

The light of his crystal took them to the front of a all skycraper-like building.

"Candleshade? I thought you hated this place." She turned to him quizzically.

"I usually do, but my dad isn't here tonight an-"

"Keefe Sencen, that is disgusting. Ew, no way would I ever-"

"I-um-what?" He paused for a moment, rewinding and seeing what he said wrong. When he realized the implications of his words he blanched and his blush could've rivaled Sophie's worst moments."Oh. OH! That's not meant- not what I meant. Stargazing. I brought you here to look at stars."

Silence.

For three very awkward seconds before he faked a cough and they continued into the house.

"This way!" He gestured to the Vortinator and Sophie shrank back.

"Oh no. No no. Not that. The Atlantis whirlpool was enough. I'll just go up the stairs."

He took her arm and pulled her in, "Nah. It's quicker and more fun this way. Don't forget to hold on tight." She glared at him as her knuckles turned white from gripping the rail. "You could hold on to my arm if you wanted to," he offered, as a reminder of her last experience.

"No thanks. I think I'm good." And up it went.

She held a hand up to her mouth as it halted to a stop, "Ergh."

He nudged her head up and pointed to the stars, clustered against inky darkness. Their brightness a stark contrast to the night around them. They shined like tiny beacons of light, sparkling like gems.

"Wow."

"I know. I brought snacks too, I'm pretty amazing."

She stifled a laugh as he handed her a platter of mallowmelt.

"You probably won't be able to eta any of these, since I'm gonna eat them all."

It was so much easier to smile than to make up a joke and hide behind a veil of humor, so he just smiled instead. So cheesy.

She studied him silently (as if he didn't see her out of the comer of his eye.) Finally she spoke, "You know? You can be really sweet sometimes."

He inclined his head, "Hmm?"

"Yeah, like now." The only sound was the soft munching of mallowmelt. They had never stood a chance against Sophie.

"Do you come up here often?"

He thought for a second, "When I was little, I'd come up here when I was lonely. Or if I needed to find my mom, she was always up here. I thought it was because she liked looking up at the stars, now I know it's because she was out corresponding with the Neverseen." His tone turned bitter and he cleared his mind of the flashbacks. This was something for him and Sophie to enjoy, not something to be riddled with old and soured memories.

"Oh, you didn't have to bring me up here." She looked at him, possibly even apologetic.

"But what good is it running away from the past? I'd rather make better and happier memories with you up here."

She smiled, the most genuine one he had seen all evening.

"Then let's just enjoy it."

"Wait, do you see that?"

"See what?" She glanced around with panic in her eyes.

"That," above them, stars twinkled in the shape of a heart.

"Keefe! You had me worried about a constellation. It is pretty though." She scrunched her face up in concentration, "What about that one?" She pointed out a constellation that looked strangely like an alicorn.

"Good one. What about..."

The rest of the night went on with each finding a different shape in the skies and ended with both of them having an enjoyable time.

After Sophie had gone to her room, Grady pulled him outside to have a chat.

"If you don't hurt my daughter, both physics,my and emotionally, them you won't get hurt."

Keefe nodded.

Since you've earned the right of your name, _Keefe_. Now you'll have to earn the right of son-in-law."

Somehow, miraculously, he hadn't selfcombusted into a pile of embarrassed ashes.

"It-uh-a bit too early for that. Don't you think?"

"Letting you know in advance. I hope you truly care for Sophie, she deserves someone like that."

"I do."


End file.
